


"Happy birthday, Link."

by Enterthetadpole



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-24
Updated: 2019-01-30
Packaged: 2019-10-15 17:55:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17533442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enterthetadpole/pseuds/Enterthetadpole
Summary: On Link's birthdays, he and Rhett share a special connection...





	1. Nineteen

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TheMouthKing](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMouthKing/gifts).



In the twenty years that passed between them, Link would always be come back to the first time it happened. The way their shared room always seemed to smell more like Rhett than himself. The blame would casually be tossed out as Rhett just being naturally more musky. The height and facial hair being factors. How could a ten by ten room even attempt to contain the essence of pure manliness?

They had somehow lost each other at a bar, and even with fake IDs and a confident swagger Link had only been able to get mildly buzzed on eve of his 19th birthday. Still the buzz was enough to get Link lightheaded and giggly, swaying to the vaguely club quality of the music. Occasionally he would glance up over all the other shuffling heads to see if the familiar pair of shoulders and face would float above the crowd.

It didn't.

Link headed out into the muggy early summer heat. His gaze as focused as he could make it to find a way back to their dorm room. It was way too early for Rhett to be there, or honestly, any normal college student to be home in bed on a weekend night. The shapes of people dashing up and down the busy sidewalk varied from smiling to frustration, but at this Link tried his best to ignore anything but the couple of feet in front of him as he continued to walk.

The night had been eventful. He and Rhett had actually talked about things. Things that had weight and had caused both of them to shuffle uncomfortably within their seats. Rhett had even told Link that he hoped that whatever happened tonight would be a stepping stone towards something more fleshed out. More  _concrete_.

"You know that Sarah and I broke up, right?"

Link had nodded. He had almost laughed at the question. Maybe it was the drinks that had been making Rhett's memory hazy, but Link had been there when Sarah had broken up with Rhett over the phone a week ago. Rhett had tried to keep the conversation as quiet as possible, but there was only so much noise that could be muffled from a thick blanket covering your head as you talk. Then moving off of a top bunk to continue in the hallway was always going to be louder than you want.

Rhett had come back into the dark room twenty minutes later. Perhaps if Link hasn't sat up and asked if he was all right, Rhett would have just climbed back up on his mattress and stayed silent. Instead, the bottom bunk shifted and Link watched his best friend in profile. The large shoulders hunched over as if preparing himself to fall apart, and then he did.

"Yeah," Link answered, glass of beer abandoned as he watched Rhett. Studied his features in the subtle blur of inebriation.

"And you still talking to that guy in your study group?"

It took a few seconds for Link to connect who Rhett might be talking about. There were two study groups that Link was a part of, and Link chatted with everyone within them. It was pretty much a necessity in study groups.

"The muscular guy with the wavy brown hair," Rhett continued, obviously seeing Link struggle. "Oscar? I think that's his name."

"Yeah, that's right," Link answered, the face coming into recollection now. "No. We never got past even more than an occasional hello. Shame too. He had such a nice rear end."

Rhett chuckled and lifted his own half full glass of beer to the sky. Link mirrored him, smile moving fast to his lips.

"Let us toast to the memory of Oscar's amazing ass," Rhett said, the tone aching with faux solemness.

Even now, an hour or so since their glasses clinked together and they drank, Link's head was spinning with scenarios. The gentle pull of his shirt when Rhett wanted to ask him a question, or making sure that he was enjoying himself. Plus, it couldn't just be the heat from the drinks that made Link feel flushed whenever he turned to look back at where Rhett had gotten to. It seemed as if Rhett was  _letting_ him walk ahead. Almost checking him out to steady his nerves.

Out of more of a need to not trip over his own feet than anything else, Link had stopped waiting for Rhett to catch up. The buzz of the night and the drinks were making him want to stay active and moving. It was only when Link realized that he had definitely lost Rhett in the crowd that he began to react. The usual heaviness was there, but now with a tingling sensation that Link wasn't sure if he actually liked or not.

He decided later that night that he didn't like it. The faint edge of arousal and sleepiness equally pulling at him. The clock radio off on the desk brightly proclaiming in neon green how incredibly early it was to be in bed on a Saturday. His bedsheets felt cold and unnatural. As if even they knew that he shouldn't be laying here. He should be out celebrating his birthday. He should be laughing at jokes that were so much funnier when your hammered.

Hell, he should  _be_ hammered.

The sound of the door opening and closing is what made Link know that he must have fallen asleep for a bit. The clock radio confirmed this, and so did the the slurred  _Happy Birthday_ from a voice he had known since childhood.

For the second time in seven days, Link could feel Rhett sit down on his bed. The dark profile was tilted down. Perhaps looking at his hands, or maybe his sneakered feet.

"Thanks man," Link muttered back, sitting up and rubbing the corners of his eyes. "Sorry we lost each other out there."

The motion of Rhett's shoulders gave the assumption of a shrug.

"Long as we know where home is, you can't ever  _really_ get lost, can you?"

Link couldn't even begin to really let the heaviness of that question roll around his mind. He wasn't really sleepy or drunk in any tangible way, but his brain felt as if was stuck in fear as Rhett zoomed circles around him.

The shadow shifted, and the window to the left gave Link an incredible clear view of Rhett leaning towards him. It was only his face that was suddenly bathed in the brightness of the moonlight. The lips slightly parted. The eyes, heavy with something along with the booze. The mattress shifted again, but this time Link didn't notice. His back was being caressed as Rhett began to invade him. The taste of bitter beer mingled in with something salty, like pretzels given to keep customers thirsty for more.

They swayed, and things were already moving so fast. Link wanted to ask questions. To make sure that this was okay, but Rhett was letting his large hands create all of the answers. A sigh escaped Link's opened mouth as he realized how much his hips belonged in Rhett's grasp. The way his body rolled along with his pajama's up his torso and down his slender legs. The way that Link had to inhale the bare chest of the man holding him like if he let go, he may evaporate. 

"Rhett..."

His hands slid down Link's back to cup his backside. His cheeks were spread just enough to let Link know that Rhett had been prepared. A glance towards the right side of the bunk showed that Rhett had been paying attention to the brand of preparation that Link used. The bottle looked so innocent and new.

"You deserve a happy birthday, bo."

Link moaned. His heart was beating out of his chest at what was happening. His thoughts whirling with theories, but each of the words were swallowed up by Rhett's waiting tongue. Inch by inch Link was touched. Not one part of his body was overlooked. The same rapt attention that Link would have frowned at jealously was now his, and he wanted to bathe in it for centuries. Rhett was slow and deliberate. Starting from running his long fingers though the thick dark hair to then gently rub the ever wrinkle brow line with the back of the larger hand. 

"Rhett...please..."

"You've always been here," Rhett whispered, and Link could relax his muscles fully now. He needed Rhett to say something -  _anything_  - and that's exactly what he was doing. "Always been here."

Link moaned, allowing the words to assist him in getting used to being so warm and wanted. The slickness in his entrance increased, and another small push of Rhett's index finger. Link's eyes rolled back, his head lolled to the left, moonlight striking his features and the man above him cooed. Then as the index finger pressed in further Link arched his back and whimpered.

"You're too beautiful to be real," Rhett mumbled against the opened mouth. "But here you are. I wanna see how real I can make you, bo."

A burst of flowing heat was in the pit of Link's stomach. Rhett was pressing inside of him with firm, yet incredibly gentle pressure. The green eyes were monitoring him. Making sure that he was as comfortable as possible. Link was bucking into one hand while grabbing at the other. Sucking the muscular fingers one by one, and barely about to keep himself grounded. 

Rhett, who as far as Link knew had never done anything like this with a man, was already making him close to cry from how amazing this felt. Sounds weren't optional at this point for Link. He was grinding onto the fingers, and groaning at the way Rhett knew exactly when to curl his fingers. His skin was on fire, and Link was taking turns grasping onto the bedsheets around him, Rhett's messy hair, and his own throbbing member. 

"I wanna feel ya," Link growled, and even in the shadows he could see Rhett's lips turn upward. 

Soon his legs were wrapped around the other man's waist, both bare, and condom wrapper glistening in the light of the moon. Their kisses were sloppy and fierce. Link bounced onto the thickness around him, and the powerful hands pressed them together as they fucked. For the first time Link appreciated the lightly bearded face looking up at him. 

Begging him to stare.

With a small twist, Rhett was on top again and swiveling his hips to give all the force that he could to his thrusts. Link was lost again, at the speed of light racing towards a climax that he wasn't ready for, but welcomed just the same. Link was breathing. He could tell because his chest was rising and falling, but he was no longer in his bed. All but Rhett and his body existed now. The tightening of muscles and flexing of skin as Rhett gritted his teeth and hissed as he bucked. Link's mind was blissfully letting go of the world one continent at a time. Enjoying the way that the waves were washing over him until a final thrust, and someone's scream rang out that sounded remarkably like him.

"That was worth makin' you real, bo..."

Link couldn't stop shaking, and then couldn't stop twitching. Yet Rhett was still holding him. Waiting for the Earth to move just a little bit faster. Then suddenly, Link recalled where they were, and he lifted his head from Rhett's shoulder, looking terrified.

"Hey...hey...relax," Rhett whispered. "You're all right. I got you."

"What...wha happened? What time is it?"

Link instinctively looked at the radio clock, and it was two hours later. Rhett was laying on his side, watching Link begin to recover. Telling him to breathe. They both were naked, with the light scent of bath soap hanging in the air.

"I cleaned us up a little bit," Rhett admitted, still making a decision to touch Link's lips with his own. Allowing both of them to figure out what to do after today ended. 


	2. Twenty-Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know how you are liking the story!

Link knew that the last five years had been a mistake. No matter how many times he goes over the sensation of everything undeniably Rhett, he knew that them starting... whatever this was...was a mistake that neither of them could rationalize. At times right afterwards, they would try talk about what occurred. How the sex had been wild and needy. The conversations were brief and uncomfortable, but nothing would ever materialize past Link asking tentative questions and Rhett shrugging his shoulders or pressing his lips into places where Link couldn't ignore. 

Then the day after his birthday would melt into an almost desperate attempt at normalcy. Friends only until another year passed by, and then they would become something painfully yet intoxicatingly complicated. Every single year Link both fantasized and dreaded June 1st. Both the anticipation and the aftermath making his ears ring and palms sweat. Yet, he couldn't stop it. He couldn't even recall a life before the arrangement started, if he really thought about it.

Rhett seemed to take the opposite road to acceptance. His long arms embracing the limited time inside and around Link like a death row inmate's final meal. Sometimes he would whisper declarations of love that he knew would help the two of them move closer to climax. The way that Link would fall apart wouldn't help Rhett in not saying more. The last year though, Link didn't want to hear anything at all, and shushed him when he had tried to speak. Rhett was certain too that he had seen wetness on the rounded cheeks, but didn't push the matter. 

It was Link who had decided that moving out was better for his sanity, and Rhett didn't put up much of a fight to change his mind. How could he? They weren't a couple in any sort of way that would make fighting for anything make sense. Still, not seeing Link at the lease signing was more of a punch to the gut than Rhett realized. Way more than when he had watched the last few boxes packed into the back of the Uhaul. Way more than the long hug that was given.

Now, sitting in his own small apartment was breaking Link down. It's not like he never saw Rhett after his move. Hell, if anything they saw each other more. The new walls made it easier to separate themselves from each other's gazes when they though the other one wasn't paying attention. Moving out also helped with both of their love lives, in a way. In college neither one of them stayed attached to anyone for too long. There always was a way of not getting too close to anyone. Excuses like school work or jobs were the best to throw out for others to catch. At moments they almost could convince themselves that what they were saying was true.

Rhett kept himself romantically busy. Needing to fill his bed with warmth that had escaped along with his best friend. For a while, he even was able to enjoy this new life filled with the smell of different perfumes and occasional cologne on his bedsheets. Yet every end of May he would stop and prepare. 

Link's coping was more strategic. He had a few partners in between the first year and now. All of them were sweet, handsome and indescribably understanding at keeping their distance. He had even been so bold as to tell one of them about Rhett. Well, all of them _knew_ about Rhett, but only one partner knew about the special gift that Rhett shared with him once a year.

In all honesty, Link had been expecting David to ask more questions, or to laugh at him, thinking that it was some sort of weird joke. He had done neither. Instead, he had nodded his head, and other than asking if they used protection, nothing more was said. Link never was able to wrap his mind around why there wasn't more of a reaction, but there just wasn't. He and David lasted for almost a year after that. There were times that Link missed him.

On his birthdays he and Rhett never had to arrange when they would actually meet. Up until this year they lived together, so it was just by simple logistics that they would eventually see each other. Now with their lives and bedrooms so far apart, there would be a need of planning to be in order. How do you even arrange something like that?

Rhett, as always, took the more direct approach. He called Link a few times throughout the morning and early afternoon. The first few calls Link was genuinely busy. His birthday fell on a work day and the engineering firm he was part of was almost annoyingly busy. After lunch though, things had slowed down enough for Link to have answered the phone. Yet he didn't. The caller ID flashed Rhett's name. It silently screamed to at least give him some sort of sign as to what was going to happen. 

When phone calls failed, Rhett began to text. The first few were birthday greetings, and apologies for calling if he was at work. The next two which came one after another were slightly more probing. The questions more leading about where he would like to go for a birthday dinner if he wasn't already busy. Link had rolled his eyes at this message. As if he ever had his evening not opened on his birthday.

Finally, Link answered the phone when it was getting way too far into the evening. Rhett exhaled at the sound of his greeting. Link could feel his heart twist.

"Thought you were mad at me or something," Rhett chuckled, regaining his footing. "Was about to give up. You okay?"

"Yeah," Link replied, taking a seat on the couch. It was one of the only pieces of furniture that Link had taken with him when he moved out. It had been where the two of them had celebrated  Link turning twenty-two. Link shuddered. "Just been busy. Is it all right if you just come over? Have dinner here instead."

Rhett hummed, his own mind trying to see where this was going. 

"Okay. Be there in an hour?"

"That's fine. See you then."

The hour was really going to be 45 minutes. Rhett was always early if he could help it, and today wouldn't be any exception. That barely would give Link time to take a nice shower and get properly ready for tonight. Then again, Rhett always was so gentle with prepping him for them having sex. 

Link shook his head at the thought. _Was he really wanting to still be part of this?_ Why was he already getting so warm inside of his belly and back of his neck. His pants already felt slightly tighter than they should for Rhett just coming over for a visit. He stopped in his tracks, with his right hand against the closest wall as he leaned and took a few breaths. He needed to calm down and think this through. Did he _still_ want this?

He placed himself onto the floor, with his back to the same wall his hand had been a few moments ago. He pulled the glasses off of his face and folds them up neatly, trying to give his fingers something to do as he thinks. It helps a little. His heartbeat was almost painful. Allowing himself to slip into deeper thoughts, Link considers his options. 

Rhett had never pressured him into anything sexual. Did he? Link closed his eyes and reflected back on the past times and no, definitely not. If anything Rhett was overly cautious, He would pause to give Link the time to mentally or physically adjust. Rhett would still at even the slightest shortness of Link's breath. It made Link dizzy that Rhett was so intuitive to his body, and _fuck_ ,  the things that Rhett could so to his body. 

_No, no, no. Think reasonably. Think rationally. You're twenty-four god damn years old now. You deserve more than whatever the fuck this is._

Ten minutes were already gone as Link continued to weigh his options. He imagined so many scenarios already, and none of them ended well. Why did he finally answer the phone? Eventually just so he wouldn't be greeting Rhett in his work clothes, he made it to the shower to wash up in change. Even with the hot water hitting his body, Link was still trying to figure things out. Scrubbing himself clean as if Rhett might see a need to eat their meal off of his skin. He shuddered again at the visual, and decided that thinking that way was not helping him at all.

Link barely had fresh clothes on when he heard a front knock at the door. His hair was still slightly damp from the water, and his ankle socks just pulled onto his feet. Part of him wished that he had really made a point of dressing better as he past by the full length mirror in his bedroom on his way to the living room. He looked way to purposefully casual in blue jeans and a dark blue WWF shirt for Rhett to not take notice. Maybe that wasn't such bad thing, though.

"Wow, you look great."

Rhett smiled twice at the compliment. Once for the actual words, and then again at the way Link narrowed his lips at the fact that he hadn't meant to say that out loud. Rhett stepped into the apartment wearing dark slacks and brown button up shirt. He even had on dress shoes which shined with a newness about them. 

"Thanks man."

It seemed like Rhett already had figured out that the lateness of the evening would be an issue with cooking, so instead he had bought take out from a restaurant close to Link's place. The smell of fresh tacos and salsa met Link's nostrils, and Rhett knew that he had made a good choice.

"Just put that on the coffee table," Link mentioned as he headed to the kitchen. "I'll get us some plates and drinks. What you in the mood for?"

"I'm fine with whatever you got."

Link shuffled around for a way longer than was needed as he grabbed two large plates and a couple of small glasses. He poured each of them a healthy helping of red wine, thinking that regardless of how the conversation went that alcohol would be useful. Then slowly he sat down next to Rhett, who already had plastic containers opened and was munching on a few misplaced nacho chips. His green eyes were focused on anything but Link until the wine was placed in front of him.

They made awkward small talk for a while. The kind of talking done when sitting in the waiting room for the inevitable root canal from the dentist. Rhett, for his part, didn't push at all. Then again he never really did that ever.

"So, about tonight," Link began, and suddenly he knew the air in the room had become ten times more tense. "We...need to talk."

Rhett nodded, but said nothing, though his attention was clearly on Link. There was a stillness in Rhett that Link had only saw glimpses of before, but now they were full registering as something very close to fear.

"I know that my birthday has been...complicated for a while now. Not sure how it has gone on this long without one of us losing our temper with the other."

There was a pause. Link glanced up from his food and back into the bearded face. It was unreadable and Link hated him for that.

"Is that why you wouldn't answer the phone?"

The tone wasn't accusatory. It was almost too casual as a matter of fact. 

"Yes. And no."

This answer got a reaction. Rhett leaned back onto the couch and sighed. His hands grabbed on tightly to his own thighs and he squeezed. The green eyes when skyward for a moment before settling back onto Link's face. 

"That doesn't really tell me anything, Link."

"I know."

Link internally winced at the level of frustration that his talking, but not really talking was doing. He didn't even know where he was going with this, yet here they were discussing their sexual romps over tacos and salsa. 

"We can stop if you don't like it," Rhett offered. "Never meant you to ever do anything you didn't want to do. Not my style."

This was not a scenario that Link had been expecting, but then again in all of the conversations he had mulled over in his head involved him talking a hell of a lot more. The knot in his stomach had tightened. He felt sick and hopeless.

"I'm not saying that," Link's voice was caught in the back of his throat. He coughed, hoping that would loosen it. 

"What are you saying then?"

It was a reasonable question for such an unreasonable situation. Link hated this too. He wasn't sure whether to scream at Rhett or to scream at himself. He just wanted a better understanding of what they were. To either stomp on the flame or burn brightly. This flicker of smoke was just frustrating. 

"I want to know what we are," Link answered, once more looking down at the meal. "Is this just gonna be the way things are? On my birthday, and nothing more or less?"

There was a small chuckle beside him, and again, Rhett laughing was not in any of his imagined conversations, 

"You just left our home, man. I think that speaks volumes."

It felt as if something inside Link shattered, and suddenly he was angry. How dare Rhett make his moving out about this. It was so so much more than -

"I'm heading out," Rhett muttered as he got up off of the couch. Link stared at him, startled but the movement. "Not trying to make this more weird than it already is."

"But, that's not - "

"Don't tell me what it is and isn't man," Rhett huffed, already moving quickly to the door. "Hell, we don't talk about us fucking at all until a few days before it happens, and then nothing else. We both like it and we both are weirded out because of it. I began it, man. I did, and I'm sorry, but you were just as into it. If you don't want to do anything anymore, I get that. Been expecting it sooner than now, really. Just..."

Link watched as Rhett struggled. He was rambling, trying to figure out his feelings as they rushed through them. At least he was able to talk, and not just keep his thoughts inside of his own god damned head."

"Just...I'm sorry, and happy birthday, Link. I love you."

Link could feel his body sway to the words, as if it was a hidden phrase that opened up his eyes. He was crying, but he didn't care. Then with a wave of emotions that neither of them fully could grasp, Link was grabbing onto the collar of Rhett's button down shirt, and kissing him as deeply as he could. Rhett's body naturally followed and the Link's birthday gift was Rhett for another year.


End file.
